David Pastrnak Named AHL Rookie Of The Month

Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; David Pastrnak puts on a team cap after being selected as the number twenty-five overall pick to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

David Pastrnak’s lighting up of the scoreboard throughout the month of October garnered recognition on Monday as he was named the American Hockey League’s rookie of the month. Pastrnak is not only the top scoring rookie in the league, he is also in the top 10 overall in scoring for the AHL.

Pastrnak has brought a certain level of hype with him ever since he impressed the Boston Bruins coaching staff at development camp back in July. At the time, it was expected Pastrnak would be invited and compete for a spot on the big club during the preseason. However, a shoulder injury suffered during practice courtesy of everyone’s favorite scapegoat Matt Bartkowski brought any vision of Pastrnak making this team to an abrupt halt.

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When Peter Chiarelli made the decision to send Pastrnak down to Providence to start the season, it was to provide additional time to assess as well as determine the areas where he still needs to grow. There’s no question Pastrnak possesses the skill and sheer offensive talent to excel at the NHL level, however the big knock against Pastrnak is his lack of size.

At only 5’10 and 165 pounds, Pastrnak could be at risk of injury due to his diminutive stature. Pastrnak has been able to utilize his elusiveness and speed to get off to a fast start for Providence and it is those reasons that there are some Bruins fans clamoring for him to make a jump up to the big club.

A recent stretch of offensive efficiency and a lack of spots on the roster may make Pastrnak’s stay in Providence longer as Seth Griffith’s recent success should extend his time on the top line. Regardless, it is nice to know that a Bruins prospect is panning out early on and could end up being an unexpected surprise.